RV inspection before buying

[Bethers]

Also don’t believe the salesmen at the RV show if they tell you to put a deposit right then or lose a special price. Those “special” prices will be there the next week at the dealers.

That depends. If the manufacturers bring rigs the deal offered could be considerably better. Most rv shows are dealers bringing their own stock and then you're quite connect.

But when you ask salespeople questions take all answers with a grain of salt. Most have never owned an rv and really don't know all the answers.

[IrishIroamed]

My adult children told me over the holiday that they thought it was stupid to try rv’ing since I have never done before. I am Not deterred, continuing my search for the right rv to start with...

Dont let them stop your dream. I too had never camped or had an RV, retirement dream was to see the national parks. Bought a small TT for practice while I was still working to figure out if it was really what I wanted to do and to learn how to do it.
Two years later I took early retirement and am in my third winter of fulltiming.

Regarding new vs used, only you can make that decision. I have gone new with all of my trailers and am glad i did. Skip the extended warrenty tho. Unless you are extremely mechanical and have the know how and strength to fix things, you may end up going to a dealer or getting a mobile tech to do the work. My manufacturer has covered everything, even things that were oopsies. Yes I had to pay out off pocket first but have always been reimbursed. If you buy new, manufacturers now have their own, longer warrenty period, sometimes up to 3 years, you just have to make sure you know what is covered and for how long.

[snowball]

we are a few miles further away than Grand Rapids but it's too bad you can't come to the
mecca of RV shows here in Q they range from brand new to slightly used to well used from large to small from dealer to private
and then the vendors that are so willing to help you fill it
seriously it is a thought to consider for next year if you haven't found the one.... and if you have to come to the GTG
sheila

[andyviv]

Snowball— thank you for comment. Trying not to be so much a newbie and did google first —but, what does the”q” mean— and what is the Mecca rv show in the q? When was it? Also what is the gtg?

[Bethers]

Snowball— thank you for comment. Trying not to be so much a newbie and did google first —but, what does the”q” mean— and what is the Mecca rv show in the q? When was it? Also what is the gtg?

The Q is Quartzsite, AZ. Thousands of rver's gather, mainly boondocking (camping without any hookups) in the desert. There are also many parks for those who don't boondock. Some, like Sheila, spend their entire winters here. I usually come for a week or two, but am staying a total of 6 weeks this winter. The rv show is gigantic and held about the middle of January every winter. And while I don't know if prices are better, there are used and new dealers all around.

[Irmi]

gtg are get togethers. There is a forum on this board just for that. You're learning a lot!

[BirdbyBird]

And a difference in this group from many others is that there is no formal mechanism for planning GTGs. No schedule and no one person in charge. And no charge other than whatever the campground charges you. All it takes is someone to decide to name a time and a place on the GTG thread and there it is. Hopefully they research, decide and announce enough in advance that there are spaces available.

The one in Q has been happening each year around the dates of the the big RV Show so many times it is just sort of presumed by now. Sheila's area is the central gathering place because....she always goes back to the same area of the desert and we know how to find her. But some of us might park with other groups in the area or stay in town and just come out to visit or participate in the pot lucks. In the past the GTGs have been had all over the US from PA, OR, CA, MI, IL, TN, IN, KS, MO, TX, FL......you get the idea. Lately we haven't had many of us step up and name a place and time. So other than the usual groups getting together in Arizona and out east in their favorite campground, Hardy Lakes, in FL (both in the winter) most of our GTGs have been of the mini sort, as in someone is driving through an area and one or more of us come together to visit over a meal or activity for a day. Ask Catherine, what happens when a new member decides to announce a GTG at her family's favorite Corp of Engineer Park in the middle of Kansas and then low and behold people showed up from both the East and West coasts..... We discovered many things about Council Bluff....and have the shorts to prove it!

When there are GTGs, there is also a history of women who come in their tents or stay in a near by motel or cabin, especially if they don't have a rig yet but want to know more about just how crazy these nomadic women on wheels really are. (Or maybe it is because of the good food,great stories and fine company....yes, lets say it is that!)

[OregonLuvr]

Sometimes a GTG is just 2 or 3 people. Doesn't matter how many there are it is fun camping with other members. I am a solo RV'er like many on here but do enjoy the social interactions with others but having my own space to retreat to when I feel like it.

[Cudedog]

Sometimes a GTG is just 2 or 3 people. Doesn't matter how many there are it is fun camping with other members. I am a solo RV'er like many on here but do enjoy the social interactions with others but having my own space to retreat to when I feel like it.

I participated in this forum for a few years before I gathered the courage to "meet up" [gtg] with some of the ladies on here.

It turned out great!!!

For the first GTG, I just camped in my van, for the second GTG I now had my Jayco (side note: my bought-new Jayco needed repair, the counter-top warped for no known reason - long story short, the replacement of the countertop was performed cheerfully by the dealer, under the Jayco warranty). During the second GTG, last October, several of the ladies (Laura, Karen, Velda) cheerfully "convinced" me that I needed to learn more about my trailer (this is the short version). Now that I actually better understand the systems on my trailer, I am even more in love with it.

Thanks again, Ladies!

Thus far I have met the following "Forum Friends": Laura, Karen, Sue, Velda, Sandi, Judy, Lyn and probably one or two I am forgetting - and look forward to meeting more in future.

My "RV Life" has been a wonderful and rewarding experience - and something I would never have considered before joining this forum.

Anne

[OregonLuvr]

Anne hopefully we can do some more camping this year.

[IrishIroamed]

And a difference in this group from many others is that there is no formal mechanism for planning GTGs. No schedule and no one person in charge. And no charge other than whatever the campground charges you. All it takes is someone to decide to name a time and a place on the GTG thread and there it is. Hopefully they research, decide and announce enough in advance that there are spaces available.

I'll vouch for that! When I decided to hit the road fulltime, I posted where I was going to camp and the dates. Without knowing I was planning a GTG, lots of the ladies showed up including Tina from Ohio, Lyn from California, Eileen from Wisconsin, Sue from Michigan and I forget who else, and have met up with some of them many times. From there, I ended up following Lyn all the way from northern Illinois back to San Diego. Bless her for be patient with a newbie.

Speaking of Lyn~~~big congrats on the new great grand babies.